What constitutes to someone being Irish?

[Cybercubed]

Born there? Parents from there? Grandparents from there?

I'm born and raised in England, my parents are both Irish (mum from Belfast Dad from the ROI). In England whilst growing up people routinely called me Irish and so that's how I saw myself. Then I moved to Northern Ireland as teenager and had a reality check, because then everyone started calling me English. I still have an English accent so everyone still refers me to as an English person here. I've always understandably have a bit of an identity crisis therefore, compounded by the fact that the "British vs Irish" issue is right of the forefront of Northern Ireland politics as well I don't feel I fit in with either community here.

We've all heard of the term 'plastic paddy' which usually gets thrown at anyone with a non Irish accent calling themselves Irish. I personally don't really identify as anything more and feel kinda stateless but do you think calling yourself Irish should be reserved for those who are born and/or raised there only?

@Howallergic you're immensely proud that Ireland didnt provide any assistance in the fight against the Nazis? And either waited to be invaded, or was happy to let others die on its behalf? Are you being serious?

We've been voted to be one of the countries on the UN council from next year I believe too, so we do have a say sometimes. Our neutrality and small economy keeps us out of trouble most of the time. We have a small army which is only involved in peace-keeping efforts. We don't go to war with anyone. The British know how difficult it was to conquer us, small and all as we are, so they should keep their fucking beaked noses out of our business.

Yes, I'm immensely proud that we did not get involved in WW2. Immensely.

This thread has really taken a turn!

I'm Irish living in Scotland with a Scottish husband. My daughter was born and will be brought up here so to me I would assume that she will describe herself Scottish with Irish heritage. Having said that, I would be touched if she chooses to identify as Irish.

And who the fuck was going to invade a neutral country only those trying to get a back door access to the UK? Which I suspect, given feelings at the time, might not exactly have been hindered.

@Howallergic

Did you look up Operation Green? I would suggest reading it before embarrassing yourself any further.

Ireland didnt provide any assistance in the fight against the Nazis
This is untrue.

Lots of Irish fought the Nazis.

Individuals in Ireland did join the British army.

But Ireland as a country did not help in any official or meaningful way.

Yes, I'm immensely proud that we did not get involved in WW2. Immensely.

Why?

@Grapesoda7

That attitude is usually directed towards non-white people but many would include people with Eastern European and Irish parents too.

With regards to the Irish I think where it might a bit more prominent is in Scotland, I have come across some Scottish unionists and loyalists who have a very negative view of the overall legacy of Irish catholic immigration in Scotland. There's a sizeable number of Rangers supporters and their affiliates who certainly don't consider catholics to be 'proper Scots' and bang on about the 'native protestant population'. These interactions are only online but I suspect some of these attitudes do exist there.

But Ireland as a country did not help in any official or meaningful way.
Again untrue.

@JaneJeffer do enlighten me then.

We don't have an army! What were we to send? Women and children?

@Cybercubed

Yeah I get that in England, I just ignore it. I'm English, end of.

We have a very small army, which is used only in peace-keeping missions, never at war. Yes, they are in danger in places such as the Lebanon etc., but we have no conscription or anything like it. Our army does nothing in the way of war. I'd like to keep it that way.

@Howallergic

Most of the British soldiers in WW2 werent 'in' the army, they conscripted.

@Howallergic

You dont consider stopping the Nazis a peace keeping mission?!?!?!!

I've really heard all the excuses under the sun now!

We remained neutral as did the Swiss and some other countries as was our choice. I believe it to have been the correct choice or we would have become the lackeys for the British Army and linked ourselves to Britain again. Without understanding the history, you couldn't understand why that would be unpalatable.

Why the fuck should we take on Britain's war?

We didn't join the British Army in the illegal war in Iraq? Or Afghanistan? Why would we have fought with Britain when we were not involved and had nothing short of a tiny infantry.

Dozens of European states adopted neutrality at the beginning of WWII, but by 1945 only Ireland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and Turkey remained independent or unaligned.

Britain is the big fella who needs to pull his sleeves up and get stuck into a war. Ireland is the fella who keeps the fuck out of things that don't concern him. I'm proud of that.